17-year-old drowns in river

Marion County Coroner Jerry Richardson says Darrell Miller from Aynor drowned at Sandy Bluff Landing on the Little Pee Dee River on Highway 917 on the Horry/Marion County line.

Firefighters say dive teams recovered the body of the 17-year-old just before 2:45 p.m. Friday.

They say he was swimming with three friends when he went under water and never came up. His friends called 911.

Marion County deputies and the Horry County Fire Rescue Dive Team searched the water for the teenager.

Miller was a football player at Aynor High School. He just finished his junior year of high school.

Miller was a lineman on the football team, and Head Football Coach Jody Jenerette says he was shocked to hear what happened.

"I was in my truck coming home

,

and it just threw me for a loop. Because Darrell Miller is the kind of kid you love, you don't like Darrell. You hear good kid a lot, Darrell was a great kid. You know, everybody on this campus loved that kid. I mean it didn't matter who it was, he had a smile on his face. He was a big part of this school, a big part of this campus. He was bigger part of this campus than he was a football player

,

"

Coach Jenerette said.

Even though school is out for the summer, grief counselors will be available at Aynor High School Monday at 8 a.m.